What We've Become
by blottedpen23
Summary: When Will traces his kids for a 10-year reunion, will he be met by positive responses? Or will their current predicaments hinder the chances of meeting up at all? Follow Will as he discovers that not all dreams can be met. Ensemble, Future fic
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: What We've Become

**Status: **WIP  
**Summary**:

_It only takes a decade to discover just what you were meant to do with your life._

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Glee or anything related to it other than my cds...  
**A/N:** This is one of the WIPs I had back at my LJ, and as I have promised before, I'm cross-posting a few of them here. This piece is one of my earlier attempts at fanfiction, is completely un-betaed and my first whack at an ensemble piece, so some might come off as a little OOC.

* * *

Will was a happy man. Possibly the happiest man in the world if you'd ask him yourself. The last 10 years have never been anything but great for him. I mean, he's married to Emma, has an energetic young boy that happens to take to his musical stylings, and his job at the State University couldn't have been more gratifying.

Yes, he's having the best times of his life.

And to see his students grow to become professionals, he couldn't help but feel actualized, knowing that he'd helped mold these young people to become decent and competent. And it doesn't hurt too that he runs their university's much lauded choir group.

And it's during one of their Saturday afternoon practices that Will's mind went back to the first set of kids he'd taken under his wing. Though they'd never won Regionals even once in their whole 2 years, they had bonded and became a family. And Will was so sure that they would do well once they left the halls of McKinley. They have their talents...and they have each other and that's what counted.

Will stood back along the first row at the auditorium, watching his two soloists Jane and Michael, take on a Journey song, and Will's mind flew instantly to Rachel Berry and to Finn Hudson.

Jane was so much like Rachel, the attitude, the drive to become stars...it was all there. She had a great big voice, but Will could say without a doubt that Rachel's got the better set of pipes. And Michael...he was like a carbon copy of his favorite quarterback, the only difference being their height.

And one by one, the rest of the choir members joined the song, singing their solo lines with such passion that it was beautiful. He has great kids, and if there's one thing he learned from leading New Directions, is that you need to give each kid a chance to shine. And it is that thought that almost instantly made Will tear up because he knew...no, he regrets it that he wasn't really able to do that with New Directions.

Will lets the chorus and verses flow through him and it didn't take long before he could feel the tears flow down his cheeks in a steady stream. He clapped hard as the song ended, allowing his members to gather around him. And they did not miss the tear streaks on his face.

Another girl, Diane, was the brave one, asked him if he was alright. Will merely shrugged and told them that they'd reminded him so much of his old Glee club and sincerely told them that they'd win Nationals for sure. He laughs as everyone cheers and they thank him because they know...and they've seen the old videos of New Directions, that to be compared to such an exemplar group was a high compliment coming from Mr. Schue.

And it's Michael who pipes up and suggests to Will that wouldn't it be great that they'd have a little reunion or such. Just him and his old glee club.

Will considers it for a moment, but shakes his head that there was no way he could get all their contact numbers. But he feels grateful when the new kids volunteers to help him.

It doesn't take long until Will gets a list of phone numbers and addresses on his desk. He scans the list as two of his students stand before him, waiting, and he couldn't believe that he finds every single one of them on the list. He smiles as he sees that Rachel is currently residing in London (doing well in the Great White Way no doubt), that Artie Abrams had finally married Tina Cohen-Chang, and that Puck seems to have a successful business going on: Puckerman's Export Inc.

"How did you get all these?" Will asks, still feeling quite incredulous.

"Ah, well. We have our ways." Ryan, one of his seniors, simply grins before giving Michael a high-five. And the two leaves him with that.

When he gets home, he finds his wife making dinner with his son studying at the table. He greets them both with a kiss and he shows the list to Emma and she beams.

"This is great, Will! You should call them."

* * *

It's at around 9 o'clock, when he's finished tucking Harry to bed, that he picks up the phone and dials the first number he saw. Mike Chang. As the phone rings, Will remembers his former student, how the boy was more of a dancer than a singer and how he puts on a show every time he stepped up to dance. Will smiles at the thought of just how much dance duels he's done with the kid and he finds it easy to see him being successful with that talent.

So it's a surprise for Will when he hears the other line pick up, and he's sure that it's Mike who answers the phone, that for the first time it isn't an enthusiastic 'Hello' that greets him. Instead it's an exasperated: _"Stop calling me you assholes! I told you I don't need a pair of new crutches. I already have a chair thank you very much!"_

And even before Will could introduce himself, the other end is dropped a little too harshly and it got Will thinking that it mustn't have been Mike because there was no way he'd act like that. The kid was too polite, too humble...but then he'd recalled just what has been said. And the thought itself just made Will's heart drop.

But that in itself didn't stop him from dialing another number, this time it's Brittany's. Lovable albeit a little slow Brittany. Will didn't like it that the kids sometimes made fun of her for that fact, but she was adorable and she danced too well that it wasn't hard for Will to like her despite her being a Cheerio. So Will patiently waited, and was glad that he was picked up and a voice, though not Brittany's replied.

"Uhm, is Ms. Brittany there?"

"May I know who's calling, please?"

"It's Will Schuester. I was a teacher back at McKinley High..." Will began to introduce himself, but the voice cut him off.

"Oh, I know you. You're that Glee teacher aren't you?" The voice, whom Will finally remembered belonged to Brittany's mother, had seemingly perked up in interest.

"Yes, ma'am I am." And Will started to feel happy, like finally he was getting somewhere, to actually talk to one of his kids. But that happiness was soon crushed when Brittany's mother had told him that Brittany wasn't at home anymore.

"Well, she's not home, Mr. Schuester." Will's shoulders slumps. He got really excited to get to talk to the former Cheerio. But Will shakes his head, thinking that he could maybe try some other time. Brittany must have been very busy, he thought. "And she doesn't really talk to anyone else."

"Oh, that's okay. Maybe I could call some other time then? When she's not busy?"

Will became a little disconcerted when all he's met is with silence. And when the voice finally came back, Will just wished that he just hadn't asked at all. He solemnly puts back the receiver back on its cradle and simply puts his face in his hands.

No, Brittany isn't homeless. She's just not at home at the moment, she's just _in_ a home.

The line kept repeating in his head, as if mocking him. The fact that Brittany's mother thanked him for even calling at all, asking how her daughter is was a little disheartening and Will already feels the tension in his neck. He tries to massage it away but fails miserably. When he'd first thought of calling everybody up, this wasn't what he expected. Far from it.

So when Will looks back up to see his wife's concerned face, he reaches out for her and just hugs her because he knows he needs one right now.

* * *

Breakfast the next day was taken later than usual and was a rather quiet affair at the Schuester household, with their son out at school. And as much as Emma loved the silence, she couldn't shake away the nerves every time she took a glance at Will across the table. At least he feels better now, she thinks...hopes he is. In all through the 7 years of marriage, she has never seen him like this. She felt bad for sure, once she found out what had happened to some of the Glee kids, but she doesn't want Will to be down than he already is.

"It's going to be okay, Will. Those kids are different. I bet the other kids are doing just fine if not better."

Emma hears what she just said and is surprised at how sure her voice sounded. But for some reason, she couldn't quite believe it. She wanted to believe what she just said, but can't help the heaviness that crept up when she saw Will gives her a small smile. But she smiles back and promptly returns to the newspaper in her hand.

Emma reads the headlines and shakes her head. So much violence in the world, so many lives affected. She cringes as she sees news of a rather horrifying plane crash and it saddens her of just how many people had died. Her eyes scans the list. It takes her less than a second to spot a name, but it felt like hours for it to actually register.

Will loves his wife...and if possible, more after last night. She had stayed awake with him until he felt comfortable enough to sleep. She was the strong one when he needed her to be. And that's what's important. So when he sees her slowly fold the newspaper after midway reading it, it concerns him, because he knows she never puts down the paper unless she's read everything.

"Emma?"

She looks up from the folded paper, and Emma just shakes her head and remains mum. She's glad when Will doesn't push the topic, and just returns to his breakfast, albeit hesitantly. She knows that Will will find out some other way, but she knows that it would be best if the news came from her, but not yet. She can't do this to him just yet, she herself can't still believe it.

It was only when Will had left for work that she found the local directory and dialed a number. But when the other line picked up, Emma froze.

The voice on the other line prompted once more, and this time, Emma found the courage to speak.

"Mrs. Rutherford? This is Mrs. Schuester, Matt's high school guidance counselor, and my husband ran the school's Glee Club. We would..." Emma started, but couldn't help but choke up on a sob. But she's glad when Mrs. Rutherford calmly assures her that it's alright.  
_  
__Why must it be this hard?_ Emma wipes away a tear that threatened to fall before resuming.

"Mr. Schuester and I would like to extend our condolences to you and your husband. Matthew was an exemplary student and was a great addition to his Glee Club and as you should bow, we already miss him."

* * *

It wasn't until after dinner the next day that Emma had the heart to tell her husband of Matt Rutherford. He was calm this time, and Emma couldn't help but be worried, because he shouldn't be calm.

She places a hand on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Why don't you contact the other kids, Will? What about Finn?" Emma suggests. She knows how close those two were. "My cousin who's still back at Lima tells me that he's a teacher at McKinley. She tells me he's great with kids."

Emma hoped that this little information would at least get a positive reaction from Will, but all she gets is a shrug.

"I'm afraid, Emma." Will says, his voice unsteady. Emma simply grips him harder and she understands. "What would I find if I'd reconnect with them? Take Mike Chang. I didn't even get a word out on the phone, I already knew he's disabled and miserable. And Brittany. She was a fine girl. Sure, she might have been slow, but she made it out of high school, and that should account to something. I already pity those old people at nursing homes, but Brittany. She's young..._so_ young. And although I know that what happened to Matt was unexpected, but he died, Emma. He died!"

"And what if I do call up the others? What would I find out?" Will was visibly trembling now, and somehow Emma gets what he's feeling. The doubt that's growing, it's palpable and all too real. "I think we're all better off not knowing anything at all."

"Will..."

"No, I've meddled enough in their lives before, it's not in my place to meddle in it now, Emma." Will runs a hand through his hair before making room in the couch so she could sit beside him. "It was selfish of me to even think of having a reunion when they won't...can't..."

"Will, you're a teacher. That's what you do. And if it weren't for you...New Directions wouldn't have existed. They owe it to you that much." Emma wraps her arms around her husband. "They wouldn't, in their right minds deny you this. I know that for sure."

* * *

Will leans back against his chair, reading and re-reading his entry. It took him 2 weeks and a funeral before Emma convinced him to reach out to the kids once again. And after 4 hours of draft-making, Will finally came up with a 5-sentence composition that he hopes would properly, and politely convey his plans of a reunion. Because he knows he needs it, and he knows the kids need it, because judging from his past attempts at communication, Will found out that it had only been him who had tried at all. So with a few final grammatical edits, and when he finds it decent enough, he proceeds to send the said entry to 10 addresses with a rather dramatic sigh.

It isn't until 2 days later he gets his first reply. It's from Mercedes. But the one statement reply he received was a bit disappointing, but Will understands. Mercedes stated in her reply that she was currently busy with her work and she wouldn't mind if they could talk about it some other time. So Will types a reply that it would be great and that he'll wait, and really, that's all he could do. Will wasn't worried though...Mercedes was always the _'we can do this, so let's do it!'_ type of person, and she did say she still kept in contact with the Abrams and the Hudsons and that she will no doubt endorse his plan.

The second reply surprisingly came from Santana. Will didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation to a performance night at some fancy hotel a couple hours away on the 24th and he's glad. So Will replies and tells Santana that he would go. If this is a chance to see one of his kids live their dream of song and dance, then there was nothing that would stop him from going.

Emma surprisingly agrees to let him go out at night and go to the performance. But she does tell him that he should be home around midnight. Will simply shakes his head and thanks her.

On the night of the 24th, Will heads off to the hotel, but what he's met is not what he expected. Barely even taking a step into the hall, he could already feel all that is wrong in the picture. The air is heavy with the stench of alcohol and visibility could very well be moot. Drunken men and divorcees huddle each table, drinking away their miseries, with music serving as their only accompaniment. And it's there that Will spots Santana. Or who he thinks is Santana. But the voice and the mannerisms and the velvety tone to the voice is distinctly Santana's.

Will waits at the back, constantly pushing flirty women away, and occasionally thrust his ring finger at some of their faces just so they leave him alone. And somehow it works and it gives him the chance to focus on her. But try as he might to appreciate the technicalities and the perfect pitch and tone as Santana serenaded the hotel guests, he can't help but zone in on the weariness, the sadness that undercuts the song. He keeps his gaze on her and when she spots him amongst the drunken hoard, she smiles.

After her last song ends and as another act steps up on the stage, Santana saunters her way across grabby hands and pulls Will off the table, and onto the bar. And it's there that Will figures that Santana wasn't just some walk in act by the way the bartender had immediately handed her a drink without her even asking. And he sits there, stunned, because if you were to ask Will where he thought Santana would be in 10 years time, he wouldn't have guessed this.

She glances away from her drink, turns to her former teacher, and lets out a breathy laugh.

"Not exactly what you expected was it, Mr. Schuester?" Will remains silent, and Santana's amused. She leans towards him, inquiring. "Why did you come, Mr. Schue?"

"You sent me an invitation, and as somebody who knows you, I feel inclined to come." Will says, but the girl beside him isn't taking any of it. She scoffs, and Will can't help but feel a little hurt. But he reminds himself that this is Santana, she's not exactly the most social type despite her asking the bartender to give him a drink.

"You should have known that that was an automatic sender. Everyone on my contacts list gets it."

"So you haven't gotten my message?" Will asks, taking a tentative sip from his drink. He lets the burn subside before looking back at her.

"On the contrary, Mr. Schue. The first time I read it, I found it funny." By this time, Will had adjusted to not really take Santana's words to heart. But he couldn't deny that little pang of pain inside. He did what he thought was best, and here he was sitting at a bar with one of those who had received his well thought and well planned letter, and she was putting him down. And the hurt look in his eyes that belied his entire expression was not lost on Santana. "You're not getting me here, Schue. I get that you want some kind of get together amongst us kids, and it's been 10 years, no other more appropriate time than that. But what I found incredibly amusing was how it's also untimely."

"I mean, how many have replied to your message, Mr. Schue? How many of us actually showed even just a little bit of interest in your plan?" Will thought back on his message. He'd sent it more than a week ago, and he barely heard from anyone. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't felt a little crushed.

"Is that why I saw none of you at Matt's funeral?"

Will regretted it almost immediately as the words left his mouth. He saw Santana's face go blank..._did she not know?_

"Look, Mr. Schue. I'm not saying that we don't want to see each other, it's just that we are too busy living our lives to ever have time to focus it on others." Santana began in a slow even tone, as if willing herself seem unfazed with his death. "Matt's funeral on the other hand, well, none of us expected it. But you're asking the wrong person here. Matt and I weren't exactly close." Her last statement almost came out as a whisper, but Will still heard it. Even amongst the ruckus behind them, he still heard it. This prompted Will to lay a hand over hers on the counter top. But Santana merely drew her hand back, cradling her own drink, before finishing it off in one go. "And as I have said before, we all got too much going on in our own lives. We can't risk it."

Will slowly nodded and downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. "Most of the people that I still keep in contact with are barely grasping at straws just so they could get by from day to day."

Santana heard Will let out a defeated sigh. "What exactly were you expecting when you came here, Mr. Schue? It's along way from Columbus..."

Will shrugged and simply looked at her and it hit him right then and there. She looked different. The Santana he knew was that feisty cheerleader that always got her way, now though, as he looked at her, all he sees is a shell of that Cheerio.

"To be honest? I expected some mini concert that showcased Ms. Santana Lopez and your name in lights." Will gestures widely with his hands, prompting Santana to smile. And just when she was about to give a retort, Will cut her off, because she needs to hear this. She needed to hear this ten years ago. "You're a great singer, Santana. And you deserve to live your dream and leave this pit hole."

Santana's expression softened. She knew he was trying, but in her mind, it's a little too late. This is her life now and it's all the more drilled into her head as she sees her boss call her back in at her periphery. And she sighed as she saw her former teacher's defeated gaze. So, instead, she lays a gentle hand on his shoulder, before standing up to go back to work, leaving Will alone at the bar.

"Not all of us are lucky enough to follow our dreams, Mr. Schue."

* * *

**A/N: **You probably have figured the sole purpose of this fic by now and as of this chapter, we had 4 of the kids in various situations. The next chapter's already written, but I still have to polish it up a bit, so it may be uploaded tomorrow. I hope you guys enjoyed this one and as always...reviews are love :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two: Of Football, Children, and Wheels of All Sorts**

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

**A/N: **This is the second part of this 3-part story. It's still completely un-betaed, but I hope you guys could still enjoy it. And thanks for the people who checked this story out. It's not the best fanfic out there, but getting reacquainted with my old stories helps me get a start on bigger, and hopefully better ones. So thank you :D

* * *

When Will woke up the next day, he finds himself alone in bed and he's slightly confused. It's supposed to be a weekend and his weekends usually start with sleeping in 'til the early afternoon with his wife, and cuddle with his family when his son decides to run up to their bed.

So this morning is unusual, but Will still drags himself out of bed and cleans himself up a bit. But despite him taking a shower, the stench of tobacco still clung to his skin, and it's like a bucket of cold water to his face and he remembers what happened last night. And it brings about a heavy wave of sadness that follows Will like a dark cloud as he steps into the kitchen for breakfast.

It's there he finds Emma's note that she's taking Harry with her at the grocery and he feels a little better knowing that Emma hadn't broken their morning routine just because she was disappointed in him last night. He did come home past midnight and he knew his wife was probably worried (she is extremely time-conscious), but to top it all off, he had come home with a slight buzz and Emma had reprimanded him for driving at all. Not that he was intoxicated, but his wife really has a sensitive nose and an equally sensitive thinking. But Will's glad that she lets him off today.

By the time Emma calls Will up to inform him that they'd be running late, Will had already opened his mail and saw that they were 2 new messages in his inbox. It was Rachel and Finn.

Will read Finn's message first because he knew Rachel would have somehow had a longer, if not detailed response regarding their reunion. It's Rachel, it won't be a surprise if she has plans _and _back-up plans already. So Will leaves that for last.

When Will reads Finn's message, he cheers up knowing that Finn was doing relatively well back at Lima, and as Emma's cousin had said, Finn worked at McKinley as the football coach. And he had to laugh at the pictures that were attached to the message.

The first picture showed Finn and his football team. He looked happy, his smile radiating that innate boyish charm. There were at least a dozen or so football pictures, some were crazy locker room pictures, and others were more of trophies. And Will couldn't help but smile at Finn's Coach of the Year award that was awkwardly perched up on his commode.

But by the fifteenth picture, a girl with the most gorgeous brown eyes had joined Finn, and Will had no doubt that this was Finn's daughter. Will continues to scan through the pictures, and couldn't help but feel a little concerned on how there really wasn't anyone other than Finn and the girl. And come to think of it, Will never read Finn mention a wife or even a girlfriend. And by the last photo, a beautiful picture of Finn enveloping the child in an embrace as she seemed to have cuddled into him, it struck Will then that Finn was a single parent.

Finn's message ended with an affirmation that he thinks that a reunion would be awesome and with a digital signature of: "Lots of Love from Finn and Beth Hudson"

There was something oddly familiar about it that Will couldn't quite place. He took another look at the pictures and scanned through them and paid attention to the child that clung to Finn in each and every picture. And Will nearly fell off the chair when realization set in. Beth...this was Quinn's and Puck's daughter...not Finn's.

And this just makes Will wonder what had happened to Quinn and Puck. Will already had an inkling that Quinn wasn't exactly enthusiastic about having a baby, but the last years he saw her, she had fit into that motherly role quite well. And if he were to say, Will knew that Puck, despite his bad-ass vibe, that he would never give away his own daughter.

Despite the questions in his head, Will replies to Finn with the sentiment that it'd be great if they could get together some time to plan this thing out and the thought alone that this might not be such an impossibility had cheered up Will.

When he proceeds to read Rachel's letter though, he's caught by surprise. He assumed that her message would have been long, but instead of opening to a novel-length message, all he gets is a one statement reply of the most uncharacteristic form.

Will runs a hand through his hair and rubs his eyes as if to see if old age has finally caught up with his vision.  
_  
What the hell is happening to my kids?_

Will had a lot of things going around in his head that he jumped in his seat when he felt somebody grab his shoulder, but is relieved to see that it was just Emma, plastic glove and all.

"Will, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Em..."

"Have you received replies then? Do they like the idea?" The smile that was on Emma's face quickly disappeared when she saw Will frowning. It's been a couple weeks already and there should have been more response to that.

"Well, I only have 4 replies to base on and so far only 2 have agreed." Will shrugged, "Though I'm not sure what to make out with Rachel's reply."

Emma looked over her husband's shoulder and read the message, and even she couldn't hold back a surprised look.

"What does this mean, Em?" Will read and re-read the statement and he even made sure that she had read the original message.

_I miss you guys._

"Why don't you send the message again? Maybe she just didn't read the one you sent?" Emma suggested, and Will reluctantly agreed, a little afraid of what Rachel's next response would be. If she'd ever respond again, that is.

Seeing that her husband might need a break, Emma suggests that maybe the whole family could get out for a while, and it's a weekend after all. And Emma hopes that her 'There's no work, no school, and no choir practice, it's a great day outside' line would work, and it does, albeit the need for dragging Will off the computer.

And just as Emma expected, the whole family had fun. Almost too much fun when Will and Harry tried to get her on one of the rollercoasters. But alas, they knew her too well, so the pair went on to ride it themselves, and when they got off and began to make their way back to her, Emma couldn't help but give thanks that her family is happy and healthy. Emma could only think what happened to the other Glee kids.

When they return home that night after eating out at the local steakhouse, they gather around the kitchen for some ice cream, a nightly tradition in the Schuester household. But as Emma gathers the cups and spoons by the drawers, she notices the phone blinking, and her hand automatically reaches out to check the voice mail.

When Will heard the greeting from the other end of the line, his head shot up and zeroed in on the phone.

"Hey, Mr. Schue! It's Mercedes. Am calling you just like I promised."

Will would be lying if he didn't admit that he nearly jumped in his chair when he heard Mercedes' cheery tone. It gave him a little hope that maybe some of his kids are doing well than expected. It's there that Will gives Emma a look, and he's happy to see that they have such a close bond that he doesn't need to elaborate on anything. And he nods when he sees her ushering their son out the kitchen.

"But I can't eat in my room. You've told me not to."

"Just for tonight, Harry."

The kid complies and Will silently thanks his wife as she follows their son out the kitchen with their ice cream.

Will sat himself by the phone and resumed the recording, and he felt a smile come up to his face when he heard her familiar voice amongst a rather noisy background.

"Hey, Mr. Schue! Sorry if I hadn't really replied to your mail, but, I've already told some of the guys about the idea and they think the idea's awesome..." Will heard Mercedes lift something up and the thought that she's probably still working made Will feel a little bit guilty for disturbing her.

"I wasn't able to talk to everyone though. Tried to phone Santana, but she's busy all the time, it's always her manager who picks up; got hold of Mike, but he really wasn't in the talking mood..." Will listened on as Mercedes went on about the others, mentioning almost everyone's names. She even spoke of Matt, and how maybe his parents could come for him; and at the proposition that maybe they could take Brittany out the home for even just a day. Mercedes looked like she had figured everything and everyone out and Will kept up with her with a mental count. "Puck on the other hand, I don't know what that boy's doing or where he's gone so I can't exactly tell you what he thinks. I did send him a text message though and he replied with a smiley face. I don't exactly know what that means but he replied and that's good." And with that Mercedes' voice stopped and the line was filled with noise that Will could only describe as a symphony of wails.

Puck makes ten. But Will scrunched up his face and it didn't take him long to figure out what was off. _Didn't he have 12 kids?_

But then he heard a sigh at the other end and it was as if Mercedes knew what Will was thinking. "I managed to at least contact everyone in Glee club but for some reason I just cannot get hold of Kurt. Please call me if you do Mr. Schue because I need to seriously talk to my boy. Haven't seen him since Abrams' wedding."

Will knew that Mercedes was trying to make light of this but judging by the slight tinge of sadness in her voice, Will could tell that she missed her friend. He remembered the two before. At first they couldn't stop bickering, but then they became inseparable. The fact now that Mercedes has admitted that she had no contact whatsoever with Kurt, made Will wonder what exactly happened to his countertenor. But his thoughts were derailed when he heard Mercedes shout at something...or someone at the other end of the line.

"You've got to forgive me for the noise, Mr. Schue. The kids just had a ton of cookies, and they're all high on sugar right now..." Will heard Mercedes apologize, but couldn't help but give out a little laugh at her reprimanding one of those kids.

"Amare, put your brother down! Put him down now or I'll send you back to the orphanage!" And it took Will a lot more not to burst out laughing when he heard a little girl cry out at Mercedes' statement. "Oh no, Sasha, I didn't mean that. I'm not sending your brother back to the house."

The word seemed funny to Will. But his confusion did not last long when Mercedes had explained in a rather exasperated voice. "I'm a social worker, Mr. Schue. You would have thought that I'd keep myself from getting involved and not be adopting each and every one of them."

And Will gets it and he's glad that Mercedes seemed to have found a job that she likes. Not the first one he'd pick for her, but a job nonetheless. But the thought of Mercedes handling what seems to be a hoard of children made him wonder how on earth she lived off with her pay. He'd known from the way Howard told him when they met a few years back that working at a job like that wasn't exactly as financially rewarding as it should be. It surprised him though when Howard even said that the pay at Sheets 'n Things was slightly better.

But Will could only shake his head when he hears Mercedes promise that this would be a great reunion party and it'll be fun filled with games and songs and whatnot. She even vowed that she'll personally knock some heads if some decide not to attend.

Mercedes' positive attitude despite her obvious strife seemed to rub off on him and he was glad. The diva had always preached about positive attitude and Will couldn't help but agree. If there's one thing that keeps you from going over the deep end, it's that. But he knows, that the reality of it all, that not all his kids have a personality good enough to retain enough positivity.

* * *

But positivity for Will could last only for as much. It worked well for a week or so but the ongoing finals had started to take a toll on him.

Will was having a really, really long day. From proctoring freshmen in their finals, to grading more than 100 essays, Will was beyond tired. So when Emma had told him that he should run by the supply store to buy some light bulbs because the ones in their bathroom had began to dim, Will couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh.

But he still passes through store and began to choose the appropriate bulbs. When he'd found them, he quickly picked them out and walked along the aisle, barely giving way for a guy in a wheelchair. But Will's better conscience made him stop and turn around to apologize to the guy. Besides, he did kinda made him swerve into an aisle filled with breakables.

And when Will found the guy, he saw him struggling to pick up something from a higher shelf, so Will approached and helped him out. And just when he was about to hand it to him, Will froze.

"Artie?"

"Mr. Schue!" Will felt a smile on his face at seeing one of his original kids that he'd barely saw the rather uncomfortable expression on Artie's face.

When Artie was picking up supplies, he hadn't really expected in running into his former teacher. Hell, he hadn't even known that Mr. Schue lived in Columbus. He should have been happy seeing his favorite teacher in town, but Artie's apprehension only grew when he saw Mr. Schue's eyes run across him that it made him dropped whatever it was on his hand.

The loud clanging made Will look back up to Artie before laughing at his distraught look. Will made a move to pick up what had fallen but was surprised when Artie had stopped him.

"That's okay, Mr. Schue. Y-you don't have to pick that..." It didn't matter though, Will was already on his knees and had a hand on the box, coming face to face with...nothing.

Will paused. He knew something was clearly not right here. Aren't there supposed to be..._ legs_? The horrified look that he thinks must be evident on his face hadn't escaped Artie.

"I-uh-Thank you, Mr. Schue." Artie made a grab for the box and placing it on his lap, trying hard not to look at Will. He wasn't exactly good at hiding his emotions, and the look he sported right now...well, it made Artie want to squirm in his chair if he could.

"Artie-" Will was still in shock as he slowly stood back up. "-your...legs?"

Sensing that the older man wouldn't budge considering the state he was in, Artie decided that he'd just answer his query. "Accident, Mr. Schue. They were crushed beyond repair that they simply had to amputate."

"Oh, God Artie. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Mr. Schue. I don't even feel the difference."

And it's in the way he said it that tugged at Will's heart_. Doesn't this kid ever get a break!_

"Artie..." Will began but Artie cut him off with a wave of a hand. "Really, Mr. Schue. It's nothing."

"No, I uh was actually going to ask you if you've got my email."

"About the reunion?" Artie nodded, and began to move across the aisle with Will walking beside him. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry I hadn't replied, Mr. Schue. I've been busy this past month at the center, I've barely opened my computer."

"But I've seen it, yeah. And I think it'll be great! But I think it's gonna be hard because...you know..." Artie shrugged as he looked up to Will.

"Ah, well. It doesn't have to be everyone. Not everyone's been accommodating but I don't blame them."

"Well, have you spoken to Mike about it? I'm sure he's gonna love it." Artie asked.

"Mike? He was actually one of the first people I called, but that didn't exactly end well..." Will rubbed the back of his neck, remembering just how awkward their 'conversation' had been.

"Ah...must have caught him at a bad time..."

"Wait, so you're still communicating!"

"Of course. We've got so much more in common now than we ever did in high school..." Artie said calmly, but Will still caught a slight annoyance and sadness in his voice.

"Can you tell him of the plan then?"

"I'm actually headed back to work now, Mr. Schue and I handle Mike at around 4." Artie paid for his stuff and waited for Will to finish paying for his purchases. "If you'd like you could come and tell him yourself..."

Will briefly thinks about Emma but he thinks that she'll understand. And the bathroom has large windows and it's still bright outside. And if this is a chance to make good with one of his former students, he'll take it. But he made a mental note to call his wife before they set off for anything.

"How are you going to get there?"

"Strictly public transport. Couldn't really afford a car that caters to my needs..." Artie pointed to his chair.

"My car then."

15 minutes and a few impressive moves, Will was able help Artie in into his car (the same car he's had for nearly 20 years) with minimal injury. The center that Artie works was as Will found out, less of a clinic, but more of a rehab center, and it's just outside the greater Columbus area, give or take an hour's drive and it seemed that Artie loved it there.

"It's the least I could do to those who've yet to get used to their new circumstances. With my being in the chair for nearly all my life, I could help them understand that there are ways to continue living your life despite a few adjustments."

And Will couldn't have been more prouder of him.

They drove in comfortable silence until 10 minutes in, the day's traffic began to set in. Will knew that Artie really wasn't the quiet type especially when it was around him and he thought that the younger man would have opened up after the initial shock of finding out that he was legless had passed. So Will, decides to take the silence in his own hands.

"So, Artie..." Will began and Artie turned to look at him. "How's Tina? I heard you got married. Congratulations."

Will keeps his eyes on the road and smiles at his attempt at small talk. But his smile quickly dissipates when, at the corner of his eye, he sees Artie make a move to cover his left hand. Will figured that it was more of an unconscious move seeing that Artie didn't even manage to entirely cover what he intended to in his hand. And despite Artie not saying a word, the presence of an outline in lieu of an actual wedding band was loud enough for Will.

And Artie must have felt Will stare at his hand that he managed a squeak, and Will simply gives him a sad smile. It made him want to smack himself on the head for thinking that they were still together. Sure, he thought that those two were made for each other ever since they started dating during sophomore year, but Will had been a witness to their numerous fall outs and eventual make ups.

"I'm sorry, Artie" Will tapped on his wheel as the traffic had come to a halt. "Everything's gonna be alright. Give it a few months, you'll be fine. Trust me, I've been there."

Will still had his eyes front, but when Artie literally let a chocked sob, he saw that his former student had his head low, a hand over his eyes. And Will feels like he's been hit in the face.

"I know divorce is hard, but it gets better over time."

"No, Tina and I aren't divorced, Mr. Schue..." Artie tried to explain, catching his sobs before they could become full blown bawling. "It's just...Tina...well, s-she was in the accident with me."

"S-she didn't make it."

"I'm sorry, Artie. I hadn't known." If it were possible, Will feels worse than he did just a few moments ago.

"Ah, well. I wasn't exactly standing at the rooftops screaming it to the world now was I?" Artie awkwardly laughs because there was no way he was going to cry over this again. It's been four years and he thinks that he should handle it better. Four years of living alone should have toughened him.

Will, on the other hand, is feeling worse, and he decides to keep quiet seeing that him talking wasn't actually doing both of them any good. And the silence between them stretches for a good half hour when Artie speaks up, though his voice small and sad.

"We were happy you know. Those two years I was married to Tina were the best years of my life."

Will wanted to pat him on the shoulder and say that it's gonna be fine, but his hands seemed to have stuck themselves onto the wheel. And all Will could do is listen.

"It wasn't until after we graduated college that I asked her to marry me. It was a simple engagement, nothing fancy much to Mercedes and Kurt's dismay though. They had this elaborate set-up and whatnot and it was great. It felt great having them plan this out with me." Artie spoke as he lightly traced the ring outline on his finger. "You see Mr. Schue, despite my new school and new environment away from McKinley, I was still that geek I was in high school. Given that the guys didn't lock me up in any porta-potties or anything, I still had the same set of friends despite the difference in campus."

"Beautiful wedding, I suppose?"

"Yes, it was. It was a small affair but Kurt and Mercedes nearly gave me a heart attack when they proposed the first budget outline..." Artie smiled, remembering the good times. "But I went with their plan because I knew that there was nothing I wouldn't do to give Tina her dream wedding."

"And we were happy. Ridiculously happy that it made me sometimes wish that I could take it all back."

"Why?" This time, Will briefly took his eyes off the road.

"Because it felt like it wasn't worth it. One year, Mr. Schue. That's all the time I had with her."

"And we were supposed to finally become a family. She'd told me that she was pregnant just the night before and I nearly jumped off my seat at the thought of becoming a father." Artie said, his head low, "The accident happened the next day."

"I was supposed to take the bus like I used to, but she insisted on driving me to rehab." Will watched as the younger man's brow furrowed at his periphery. And Will hoped that Artie didn't see him flinch when his voice raised."Oh God, I should have refused!"

"Artie..."

"You don't know how it is to watch your wife die in front of your eyes. It's like you're repeatedly gutted each time you see blood spurt out of every corner. The way you feel so helpless just because your legs are stuck and you didn't even know it." Artie's voice reverberated inside the cabin, his emotions running high. "I tried so hard to get to her, Mr. Schue. I tried so damn hard, and just like everything else, I couldn't do it. I guessed it was one of the reasons why the doctor's couldn't save my legs. They were pinned down by the dash, I hadn't noticed, and I kept on pulling."

Will listened in as Artie finally vented out his frustrations and had started to calm down a bit.

"5 minutes." Artie's voice might have gone down, but it still hit Will as hard. "It took 5 minutes for some drunk guy to take away my family."

"And from there, nothing mattered anymore. I thought, 'What's the use?' But I guess I have my friends at the center to thank for. They helped me cope...and in the end, that was the driving force as to why I work there now. I help people with their pain, and they help me with mine."

* * *

It was quarter to five when Will and Artie finally reached the center, and he noticed how people greeted Artie as he came in. But what surprised him most though, was that almost every staff member were like Artie.

"Has Mike come in yet?" Artie rolled to the front desk and asked the attendant.

"Haven't seen him yet, Artie. But he called and said that he's almost here."

Artie thanked the guy and led Will to one of the lounge areas. Seeing that Artie was barely in a talking mood, Will kept himself busy with magazines while Artie sat and talked with one of the clients. As he read, Will kept glancing towards his former student and just watches in awe at how well he could communicate, if not make somebody else feel better. And it made Will feel happy for him despite the bad things that kept on happening to him.

It wasn't long before he sees Mike roll into the center, and it seems that Artie saw him too because he politely left the woman he'd been talking to, and rolled himself to where Mike was.

"Mike! How's the new chair?"

"Still getting used to it." Mike shifts in his chair uncomfortably before realizing that Artie had borught somebody with him. "Mr. Schue?"

"Hey, Mike? How are you?" Will greeted cautiously, keeping in mind their previous conversation.

"Doing well, I guess."

Artie sees both men's discomfort and tries to at least initiate an interaction. "Hey, Mike. Mr. Schue got this awesome plan of some reunion for New Directions?"

"Yeah, I sent you an email." Will nodded.

"I haven't seen it."

"Well, that's okay. That's why I came here. Bumped into Artie at the supply store. He'd told me you'd be here and I just thought that it'd be a great chance to see you too..."

"That's kind of you, Mr. Schue. But a little unnecessary." Mike looked up to Will and shrugged. "A reunion would be nice though..." Will slowly nods as Mike wheels into a room. A small frown makes its way on his face. He really was expecting a little more than that. Mike was always the upbeat one, but Will guesses that maybe the new withdrawn Mike had caught him by surprise. Much more than the angry Mike he'd encountered with his phone. Seeing the older man's face, Artie could only give Will a sympathetic look.

"Ah...he really hasn't quite opened up about this. It's fairly a recent injury and the news about Matt; well, he hasn't taken that well either."

Will nods silently as they watch Mike start his therapy with an attendant. And it pains Will to see his former student, who had danced and glided as effortlessly before, struggle to even stand on weak legs. And Will feels himself wince when Mike falls to the ground, and resorted to lashing out on his therapist. It's here that Artie decides to intervene, but not before thanking Will for coming and bidding him goodbye.

And Will agrees. He didn't know just how much of this he could bear seeing.

* * *

Will stood by his car, barely containing himself to hitting it. He hadn't expected that there'd still be traffic at this hour, and it forced Will to get off the highway and find a spot to let his car rest. And thankfully, the car lasted long enough for Will to park it in front of a drug store before it completely died on him. And when he heard the last gurgle, Will knew, he's in for a long night.

Will fishes for his phone and it takes nearly fifteen minutes to get his wife calmed down. And when that was over, he went in the drugstore, and it irked him to see that almost no one was there to help him. The lady at the counter could barely even speak English, and had no clue as to what Will had said when he had tried to test how Spanish would go over. Will was out of luck and the only phonebook he found at the roadside booth was defaced beyond recognition. So Will, begrudgingly, headed back to his car and leaned back.

Well at least he's not in the middle of the road and the sun was still kinda up and that calmed him down a bit.

Then, a woman with a young child approached their car that was parked to his right, and Will thinks that this just might be a good chance to ask if she knew of anyone that could help him. And he's in luck when the woman smiles up to him and nods.

"Oh, my husband owns a garage. No, well, my brother-in-law owns it, but it's my husband who manages it." The lady carefully places bags into the back seat. "I could call the shop to take your car there"

"That would be great. Thanks."

Will was about to get back into his car when the young kid rushed up towards his toy that had seemingly stopped at Will's feet. He chuckles as the boy nearly trips himself over to pick it up but there's an eerie familiarity about the boy that shocks him. Will thinks it's the eyes...yes, it's definitely the eyes. It's like he's seen that sparkle somewhere but Will couldn't place it just yet and he blames it on his age.

He thanks the woman once more before she left and Will resorts to waiting...again. It doesn't take long though, for a mechanic to come around with a tow truck. And when they do reach the shop, Will begins to thank the man on how his wife had helped him and starts to rattle on what he thinks is wrong with his car. But much to Will's surprise, the guy waves him off and just tells him that he's not exactly the one in charge around here...and that he doesn't exactly have a wife.

Will felt embarrassed, but was waved off again.

"Just wait a couple, he'll be up in a few."

Will patiently plays the waiting game that when the supposed mechanic does come around, Will is beyond shocked.

"So what seems to be the problem here?"

Will nearly rubbed his eyes to see if he was just imagining things, but judging by the weird look on the young man's face, Will is now certainly sure that he wasn't going crazy.

"Kurt?"

"Mr. Schue?"

They stare at each other. Of all the 4 years he's ever known the countertenor, he's only seen him out of his fabulous outfits (that jean jumper horrid affair). And it's really the first time he saw him wearing...coveralls.

"You fix cars?" Will's voice waivered, the shock still hadn't worn off.

"I do. I've been fixing and reconstructing them since I was 10. Is that so hard to comprehend?" Kurt, despite trying to act calmly in front of his former teacher, couldn't help the slight rise of annoyance in his voice. Was it really so difficult to see him with cars?

"No. I-I didn't mean it like that. I just thought that you-you're..." Will let himself trail. And Kurt already knew what he'd meant.

"Just because I sang and danced doesn't mean I don't know how to work on cars, Mr. Schue."

"I wasn't implying that..."

"No. You were."

Will was utterly confused as he watched Kurt move around the garage gathering tools. It's so not..._him_. Kurt moves efficiently, rattling technical terms that fly over Will's head because for some reason he doesn't recognize his former student anymore.

"What happened Kurt?"

Kurt stopped and looked up at Will, his eyes showing nothing. It was as stoic as his face but Will still caught that sudden look to the side, and as he watched his student's eyes soften, Will steeled himself for a breakdown. Though there really wasn't any time he could remember Kurt breaking down in front of him. And soon he found out that he wasn't gonna get a straight answer from him now.

"Daddy!"

Will turned around to see the same child he'd seen before run up to Kurt and wrapped his little body around Kurt's lean frame. He watched as Kurt lifted the boy up and gave a swift kiss before turning back to his former teacher.

"Life happened, Mr. Schue. That's what happened."

Will could literally feel his mouth hang open, and he quickly closed it. Kurt gave a brief cough, uncomfortable under his teacher's gaze.

"Is his car going to be fine, Kurt?" Both turned to the voice, and Will thought that he really should slap himself for getting surprised so much. But given what has happened throughout the course of his day, Will could only hope that this encounter ends better than the last.

"It will be once I get the carburetor in place." Kurt handed the child to the lady, and Will's eyes automatically land on the pairs matching rings, and he couldn't help but shake his head. He has got so much to tell Emma.

"I guess it'll be easy for you, huh Kurt?"

"You two know each other?" Will sees Kurt shift in his place as the lady gestures to Will.

"Uhm...yes. Uh... Michelle, this is Mr. Shue. My um...Spanish teacher back at McKinley. And Mr. Schue, this is Michelle, my wife, and Jason, my son." Any other time, Will would have found this new Kurt extremely funny, but given the circumstances, he isn't feeling as cheerful as he thought he should be.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Schue." Michelle extended a hand to Will and they shook hands.

"Likewise, Mrs. Hummel." Will smiled and turned back to Kurt, who's still looking a bit too pale. "And Kurt, it's Will now. I haven't been your teacher since high school."

"You know what, I see that you boys are almost done here, why don't you invite Will over for dinner tonight?"

"I don't think he..." Kurt looked over to Michelle, his eyes wide.

"Oh, thank you but I don't want to impose." Will politely refused seeing how uncomfortable Kurt was getting.

"Oh, please. You two could catch up over all times." Michelle laid a hand on Kurt's shoulder, and he stiffened. He was feeling way too uneasy with everything now and Kurt could only silently thank his wife for not pointing it out. But he's irritated though at how much she seemed to be probing. "You know how hard it was to get him to tell me about his childhood? If it weren't for Burt, I could have gotten nothing from him."

"Oh, it's really just typical high school experience, you know. I didn't know much about his stints in football and Cheerios, but all I could remember were those times at Glee." Will spoke nonchalantly. It wasn't like he was giving away anything that wasn't already known. But as Will would find out, Michelle wasn't really quite in tune with what her husband had been doing during high school.

"Glee? Isn't that a choir or something?"

"Indeed. And your husband was a key member of it too. Couldn't have made it to Nationals if it weren't for him."

It was a blatant lie. They never even got past Regionals. And Kurt noticed. But Kurt's reaction was the least of Will's concerns. What's more pressing was how Kurt, one who was proud of his club and his friends, had now deliberately kept the fact away from his wife.

"I didn't know you could sing!" Kurt merely shrugged. "You better tell me all about it. All the more reason for Will to come join us for dinner."

And by this time, Kurt knows that he couldn't argue with Michelle anymore, so he nods. Will gets the idea that he just said something that he shouldn't have but Kurt doesn't address it as he continues working on the car. It doesn't take him long to replace the carburetor and gets the car running.

"Why are you still driving this, Mr...Will?" Kurt quickly corrected himself. "You drove this while we were still in McKinley. It's pretty ancient. You're lucky that my dad used to collect these things; most shops don't carry this model anymore. You would have been forced to see this car dumped at the junk yard." Kurt walked towards his former teacher and handed him the busted car part.

"Ah, well. I was tempted to buy a new one but thank God that I'd bumped into your wife at the shops then." Will tries to lighten up the mood, but Kurt's expression barely changes.

"Why still drive it Will? When you know that it's gonna fall apart soon?"

"Same reason as to why your father kept vintage car parts in his garage." Will sighs as he moves to sit on one of the empty chairs in the shop. "And the exact same reason why I see a box of discs and playbills stocked at the back there."

"You saw them, huh?" Kurt shifts in his place as he lightly runs a hand through his hair as the other finds its place on his hip. And when Will sees the familiar nuances, he's utterly overjoyed knowing that the Kurt he knew was somewhere in there.

"It's the memories. These things hold so much that it's just too difficult to let go and simply throw away." Will looked up to Kurt, a genuine look of concern in his eyes. "Why did you give up your dream, Kurt? I was so sure you would have been the first one to break out..." Will continued despite hearing Kurt scoff. "…and I admit, even before Rachel could ever have. What happened Kurt? This isn't the boy I've watched grow..."

But before Kurt could give any reply. His wife comes to remind Kurt that it's closing time and that they should get home. Will turned to look back at Kurt, who seemed to have an answer, but all he sees the younger man do is shrug as he tidies up the place. And Will sighs, Kurt was always the one who had the most difficult time opening up.

* * *

Dinner with the Hummels was as awkward as Will had imagined. Kurt wasn't acting anything different as if their little conversation at the shop never happened, and the forced conversations just kept on coming.

"So, Kurt..." Will tries to open a topic that he thinks would at least get Kurt to say more than a word to him. "How's your dad? Last I checked he was doing well with your own garage."

And it works. Just not exactly the way Will wanted.

"Well, he's doing well as anybody six feet underground is." Kurt ignores the sharp look he's getting from his wife and just continues to stare at Will. "And the garage went down, and as you would know, I couldn't really handle anything back then..."

Will tries to disregard the verbal jab that was thrown his way

"And that's why Pete had to buy the business from you to keep it afloat." He sees Michelle place a little too much potatoes on Kurt's plate much to his dismay and he begrudgingly eats it. "It was the first time we met. Don't you remember Kurt?"

Kurt let's out an awkward laugh before returning to his food and Will tries hard to ignore the slight look of hurt on Michelle's face when she turns to Will, offering another serving of potatoes. Will politely declines. The light clanging of utensils is what fills most of the void, the tension only increases tenfold. And it's Michelle, who tries to strike a conversation because she just couldn't let whatever this was to stay the way it is.

"Kurt, have you made up your mind about that reunion?" Will's head shoots up. Kurt, on the other hand, looks down. "I'm sure Will would appreciate your input?"

"I guess you've read my message then. What do you think about it?" Will nods, wiping his mouth with the napkin before turning to Kurt. "And Mercedes has been asking for you. She thought that you two could go over the plans."

"Kurt?" Michelle looked over to Kurt who'd remained silent.

"It'd be…nice. But I don't think I'll be going."

'What?" Will was so sure Kurt would have been one of them that would be most excited. But Will reminds himself that the young man in front of him is much more different than who he'd remembered. And he sees him shake his head and put down his fork.

"I'm sure you'd all still have fun without me being there. I mean, it's not like you guys needed me then, why start now?"

"Kurt..."

"You asked me before why I had given up, Mr. Schue. Well, the answer's simple really." Kurt looked straight into Will's eyes. "I wasn't good enough. And I just...can't."

"Oh, come on Kurt. That's not true." Will replied, disbelieving that this was what Kurt had thought. "You were one of my best kids. You brought something to New Directions that none of them could."

"Yeah, right." Sarcasm was heavy in Kurt's voice, and Will couldn't help but feel a little hurt. "You still don't see it don't you? Do you ever wonder why almost none of us went on singing? Do you ever think as to why Artie, Tina, Mercedes, Mike, Brittany…hell, every single one of us, didn't join together to make some amateur band and sing along our merry little way?"

Will sits stunned. It wasn't that Kurt had raised his voice at him, quite the opposite actually, but what he had said made Will think back on just how he handled them back in the day. And when the sudden realization hit him, Kurt sent him a look that said it all.

"You should have known, Mr. Schue, that when you ensured that Rachel and Finn were good enough to take us to Regionals, you were bringing the rest of us down."

"But you guys looked happy…"

"What else were we supposed to do, Mr. Schue? We tried to get you to open up some stuff for us, but we always have to fight for every song while you simply hand them to those two."

Kurt sighs, his eyes softening as he sees Will seemingly shrink down. And he feels the red flush on his face, more from embarrassment than from anger. And when he feels his wife's hand on his, Kurt excuses himself from the table, taking his plate to the kitchen.

Will watched Kurt leave, regret filling him. Kurt was right. Of all the times he could have shown his other kids a little leeway, he turned his back to them. He's so much into his thoughts that he barely registers Michelle's apology as she moves out the table and into the kitchen as well.

When Will finds himself sitting on the living room sofa with Jason playing in front of him, he couldn't help but feel even worse. He'd just talked to Emma on the phone, talking of just how much he'd screwed up. He puts his head in his hands, feeling like he's overstayed his welcome. It isn't until he sees a bottle of beer shoved into his face that he looks up and finds Kurt looking entirely apologetic.

Will takes the bottle and mutters a thank you as he watches Kurt send his son upstairs and into his room. Kurt takes a seat beside Will and his shoulders sink.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue. I shouldn't have blown up on you." Kurt sighs and sinks deeper into the cushions. "And I do think the reunion thing would be great."

Will takes a sip from his beer and notices that Kurt doesn't have his own, hands folded on his lap; but he doesn't say a thing. And Will takes Kurt's apology because he knows that Kurt is genuinely sorry. But Will knew that he had some fault in this too, and he wasn't going to leave this house without patching things up with Kurt.

"It's really good to see you, Kurt."

"Likewise."

And Will smiles. Despite the rather lack in response, he gets Kurt's sentiment. And that one word simply said enough for him.

"Are you happy?"

"What?" Kurt glances at Will, slightly surprised at the sudden, if not personal, question. Will asks again and shrugs before taking a sip of his beer. After a beat, he could hear Kurt sigh beside him.

"It's not that I'm not happy, Mr. Schue, because I am. I mean, I have a beautiful wife, a healthy boy, and the garage is doing is doing well enough to support them. I couldn't really ask for anything more." The words were spoken as eloquently as only Kurt can and Will would have believed it completely if not for Kurt's tone. It was void of emotion and said too casually and Will knows, Kurt's just living life as it already is. And it's here that Will discovers that even the strongest of his kids is vulnerable to the dictates of life.

"It's just that in the back of my mind, I just know that if things were different. I would have been… _happier_."

* * *

**A/N: **I wasn't really comfortable with this chapter, but I hope you guys like it. I don't know why, but as a lover of angst, I'm having a difficult time making up situations that make each of these kids miserable and thus, I'm stuck here. Any suggestions would be good though for the remaining kids. But I have to say that I do plan on letting these characters meet up, but it's not necessarily during the reunion.

Anywhoo, reviews are appreciated :D


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